Exclusive: PGMOL insider slams ‘cheat’ Kluivert in Bournemouth v Aston Villa clash
Justin Kluivert has been slammed for “cheating” as Bournemouth faced Aston Villa, by former referee Keith Hackett.
The ex-FIFA official and former head of the PGMOL exclusively told Football Insider that the Dutchman should have been sanctioned by Stuart Attwell after his attempt to win a penalty was correctly ignored.
Andoni Iraola’s side went into the game on 10 May still in the race for Europe next season, while Unai Emery highlighted Aston Villa’s hopes of returning to the Champions League in bizarre fashion prior to kick off.
A keenly contested first half, which saw Tyrone Mings cleared of a red card after catching Alex Scott in the face with an elbow, ended with Ollie Watkins putting the visitors ahead deep into stoppage time.
The striker, whose Aston Villa future remains in doubt sources have told Football Insider, got a deft touch on a Morgan Rogers ball in from the right to divert past Kepa Arrizabalaga in the home goal.
Justin Kluivert goes down in Emi Martinez incident
As the Cherries looked to hit back after the break Antoine Semenyo put a ball in from the left wing on the 47th minute, which was only partially cleared by Ezri Konsa.
Picking up the loose ball on the edge of the box, half-time substitute Kluivert jinked past the England international and Amadou Onana before poking the ball beyond the onrushing Emi Martinez and out of play.
| Bournemouth | Aston Villa | |
| Possession | 65.7% | 34.3% |
| Shots | 10 | 6 |
| xG | 0.78 | 0.99 |
But as the exit-linked Aston Villa keeper went to ground Kluivert he dragged both feet over the Argentinian’s hands and went down himself, to appeals from teammates and the crowd.
Attwell pointed for a goal kick and took no further action, while Martinez himself saw the funny side.
Hackett has backed the initial call but was unimpressed not to see the Bournemouth star carded for attempting to con the referee.
Stuart Attwell criticised despite correct call
Hackett exclusively told Football Insider in the wake of the incident at the Vitality Stadium: “Referee Attwell correctly waves aside appeals by Bournemouth for a penalty kick.
“It was a clear act of simulation to deceive the referee by Kluivert. It should have received a sanction of a yellow card.
“If referees do not sanction we will continue to witness these acts of cheating.”
Bournemouth would push for an equaliser but Villa held on in the face of a number of further penalty appeals, and a Jacob Ramsey red card, to record a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Semenyo almost levelled in the 95th minute, only for Martinez to get a vital touch, with Matty Cash preventing Daniel Jebbison from heading home the loose ball from virtually on the goal line.